The Chase
by chidogs
Summary: From The Beast Within. Beast Boy must save Raven from the other Beast. What happens when he does. Just before the others arrive.


The moonlight filtered down, casting shadows between the buildings. He kept to those shadows, ever moving, tracking and intent. His mind was in turmoil, reason battling with raw instinct, primal urges struggling with coherent thought. But despite the confusion in his mind, there was one thought above all, he had to follow that beast. He had to find him and save Raven.

The scent was powerful, and he followed it with all of his instincts. He could scent her as well, a scent he was as familiar with as his own. No simple flower scent for Raven, no. Her scent was as complex as she was. A misty scent that combined the herbs from her herb tea, the waxy fragrance of her rose candles and the hint of spice from the incense she sometimes burned. Faint as that was it guided him almost as well as the much stronger beast scent.

The anger burned inside of him. A rage unlike anything he had ever felt before. He let it guide him, allowed it to spur him to greater speed. He had to catch up to him. He had to get her away from him before he could hurt her anymore than he had. He had heard her scream, and he had heard the roar. He knew that the beast was as wild and uncontrolled as he was. They were alike in that. His mind was too confused to figure out why that was, only that it was. And if he felt this uncontrollable fury, then the other was feeling the same. And would he take that out on Raven?

Beast Boy let out a howl of anguish, roaring to the crescent moon above. The sound shook the windows around him but he didn't care. He plunged forward in a furious gallop on the track of the beast that had Raven. Guilt drove at him as he ran. How could he have spoken to her the way he had? How could he have been so vicious, so mean, and so outright nasty? The memory was vague, in the back of his cloudy mind. His instincts were at the surface now, and they gave him no answers except that primal feeling of bestial anger. Once more he let himself sink into that animal mentality. He hunted, and he hunted for blood. His quarry was ahead of him, but he was gaining. He wasn't carrying anything. The thought of Raven clutched in the claws of that other beast made his blood boil and he bared his fangs, a growl rumbling deep in his throat.

The scent let underground, into to vast tunnels beneath the city. He followed it, barely slowing at each intersection of massive pipe. Down here the scent was easy to follow, as there was no night wind to blow it away. It was so clear that it was almost visible. He increased his already formidable speed, his powerful legs pumping and stretching as he ran. No other form had ever had the power that this form had. It almost felt as if he was meant to be this creature, not just impersonate it. A part of him rejoiced in this strength, this savagery, and a part of him was appalled.

Beneath the city, he closed in on his prey. They were close. His ears caught the sound of rapid loping ahead of him, of claws scraping against the concrete. His own strides grew longer and faster, his lips curled into a snarl of razor sharp teeth. He burst from the tunnel into a large, empty storage area. And he saw them. There were no tunnels at the far end. The beast was trapped. Beast Boy let out a triumphant and challenging roar. The creature turned, its jaws gripping the collar of Ravens dark blue cloak. And Raven hung limply, eyes closed. Beast Boy hurtled across the distance. The creature let Raven drop to the ground beneath it as it sprang to meet Beast Boy's charge. But Beast Boy's momentum was so powerful it drove the creature back into the wall with a crash. Beast Boy lost himself in the heat of battle. Slashing claws, tearing fangs, he forced the other beast away from Raven. Taken by surprise, the creature fled into the shadows. Beast Boy stood panting a moment, then turned and with what was nearly a whimper, crouched down by Raven. Her eyes flickered and opened slowly. She stared up at him with fear widening her eyes. Then the fear ebbed away.

"You saved me." She whispered weakly. There was a look of recognition in Raven's dark eyes. "Take me home. I must heal myself." She reached up a hand with an effort, and he could see it tremble. It touched his fierce muzzle with a gentle caress. "Thank you, Beast Boy." Her hand lowered slowly, dropping limply to her side. Her eyes became distant, dazed. Then her lids slid shut.

Beast Boy carefully lowered his head and took her cloak collar in his teeth to lift her up, to take her home, so that she could heal. But then, _they_ came.


End file.
